Diverse Learning Activities and Expert Guidance

At MacNeal, your education will be enhanced by a wide range of learning experiences - from daily rounds to special-topic seminars and conferences. Your confidence will grow from the interaction and guidance you find among attending physicians, senior res idents, leading academicians, researchers and other MacNeal faculty members.

During your residency, you will participate in:

Acute Care Conferences
An eight-week series that focuses on the management of acutely ill patients. Topics range from MI diagnosis/management to antibiotic selection for aseptic patients.

Ambulatory Care Conferences
At the end of the 4 week Ambulatory Care Rotation, each resident gives a 30 minute presentation on a topic of interest identifed during the rotation.

Attending Rounds
Formal attending teaching rounds are held daily in ICU, CCU and general medical floors by board-certified, specially trained faculty.

CME Conferences
Weekly conferences on current medical standards are conducted by MacNeal's medical staff representing Clinicopathology (CPC), Surgery, Neurosurgery, Sub-specialties, Tumor Board and others.

Electives Outside the Country
Residents give a 30 minute presentation outlining the medical system, the diseases and the medical education system encountered in the foreign country.

Medical Spanish Classes
Two months of medical Spanish classes are held at the beginning of the year, provided by a certified interpreter based at the hospital. There are practice sessions and helpful handouts to increase your Spanish-language skills and aid your communication with our large Hispanic patient population.

Morning Reports
Problem solving skills are emphasized during these interactive conferences with a focus on differential diagnoses and final diagnosis.

Research Electives
Residents give a 30 minute presentation describing the background, methods and findings of the research that was conducted. Solving skills are emphasized during these interactive conferences with a focus on differential diagnoses and final diagnosis.

Resident Quality Assurance Conference
Residents have an in-depth opportunity to evaluate patient safety and system safety. In a small group setting, residents evaluate a case of medical error or near miss event utilizing the Healthcare Matrix. The group will analyze the source of error and make recommendations to avoid similar future errors during the conference. Results of this conference are reported to the hospital's Quality Assurance Department.

Other learning activities include Grand Rounds, resident rap sessions, faculty advisement sessions and special topic conferences.